Whether it’s flat, the tire is bald, or it’s just time to rotate them out, knowing how to take a tire off and replace it is essential for anyone on the road. Master Muffler Salt Lake offers a variety of tire services like repairing flats, installing new tires, as well as rotation and alignment services. Here’s a step-by-step list of how to change a tire on the road if you ever have to. In all likelihood, you’ll have to at some point if you operate a vehicle on a regular basis.
Pull Over
Find somewhere where the ground is level and that’s out of the way of the flow of traffic. You’re going to be here for a bit so really make sure it’s a suitable place to be working on your tire. Make sure you do this quickly, if your tire has blown out, the longer you drive on it, the more damage it could do to your car.
Make Sure Your Car Won’t Roll
Once you’ve found a suitable location to change out the tire, put your car’s parking brake on. If you have them, use a rubber wheel chock, basically a door stop for cars, to further prevent any movement. The last thing you want is your car rolling while you’re working on it.
Materials/Tools
In addition to a jack, spare tire, and a wrench at the bare minimum it would be helpful to also have the following:
- flashlight
- Gloves
- Mat for kneeling
- Rain poncho
- Tire gauge
- Your vehicle’s owner’s manual
Lug Nuts
Those big silver nubs around a tire are called lug nuts. Loosen them with your tools until you can loosen them by hand. Don’t take them completely off.
Lift Off
Time to get your car off the ground. Place your jack in a spot on the car according to your car’s specific user manual. If you don’t have that, just make sure it’s on the metal frame of the car. Do not place the jack in contact with any of the plastic molding. This will end badly if you do. Once you have it placed properly, use your jack to take your car up and away.
Lug Nuts and Tire
Time to take off those loosened lug nuts. Remove them completely and put them in a safe spot. Don’t lose them, you’ll need them later. Once the lug nuts are off, take your tire and pull it directly off.
New Tire, New Me
Take your new or spare tire and line the holes up with the lug nut posts. Push it all the way on. As far back on the wheelbase as possible.
Return of The Lug Nut
Start, by hand, putting the lug nuts back on. Screw them on a little bit so they don’t fall off but don’t twist them all the way on just yet.
Lower and Tighten
Using the jack, slowly lower your vehicle until your spare tire starts touching the ground. This holds the tire in place as you begin tightening the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts in increments, alternating every-other nut. For example, if you assign a number to each lug nut, tighten in this order: 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, and repeat. This way you’ll keep the tire on straight.
The Eagle Has Landed
Lower your car completely and finish tightening the lug nuts all the way, evenly. Now you’re ready to get back on the road.
For any other assistance with your vehicle and changing a tire, come in and see one of the experts at Master Muffler Salt Lake for all your car questions and needs. Master Muffler Salt Lake offers full tire services to help get you back on the road in no time, and keep you there.
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